The lead story in the sports section of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC Tuesday wasn’t the Lakers and Suns in the Western Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs. No, the top of column one was occupied by Arizona Cardinals lineman Darnell Dockett apologizing for showering while he was seen on an internet webcam last week.

(Finally found a worthwhile Arizona boycott)

Last Friday morning I uncovered the shudder-worthy details, which the Republic’s Kent Somers reports today led to Dockett apologizing to every single one of his Cardinals teammate. (Hey D.D., what about the rest of us?) Read more…

A transgender New Yorker has filed a $10 million sex assault suit against an NFL player - and in a separate action is also suing the city, saying she was abused and humiliated by cops. Angelina Mavilia’s legal action against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Eric Green alleges he forcibly sodomized her.

The assault allegedly took place after the two met in a Phoenix-area last year, when Green was still a member of the Arizona Cardinals.

Vaughn McClure of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE has Tommie Harris’ inevitable shaming in the aftermath of his decision to punch Cardinals guard Deuce Lutuihelmet head yesterday.

(Harris knew just where Lutui’s weakness was: His hard plastic shell)

Harris: “Yes, I felt like I hurt my team. I just want to apologize to my fans, first off (and) the little kids out there that saw that action, that I behaved in that manner. I apologize to my teammates. … I’ll make up for it.”

Because no battle is ever won, he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools. - William Faulker, “The Sound and the Fury”

That was written by Mississippi’s “greatest author,” who I also thought was kind of overrated. Which, it turns out, could easily apply on multiple levels to the Ole Miss football team. On a national stage and with a No. 4 ranking, the Rebels completely imploded, falling 16-10 at South Carolina last night. It may or may not be true that no battle is ever won, but for Ole Miss, this one was certainly lost.

Mainly it was lost for two reasons: QB Jevan Snead had a miserable game, going 7 for 21 for 107 yards while being pressured by the Gamecocks’ defense all night. And Houston Nutt’s game plan reminded you of why he was barely a .500 coach with a backfield of Felix Jones and Darren McFadden at Arkansas. Nutt seemed unable to accept that the passing game just wasn’t working, and waited until the fourth quarter to turn to running back Dexter McLuster. He ran for 68 yards in the final quarter, but by then it was too little, too late. Read more…